Quote Originally Posted by Schultz
Scots and Scots Gaelic are two completely different languages.

Rabbie Burns wrote in Scots, as does our good friend Pour1Malt. Scots is the language of the Lowland Scots, and is a Western Germanic language which has its origins in the Anglian dialect of German brought by the Angles when the settled on the east coast of Britain.

Scottish Gaelic and Irish Gaelic are related, although the Scottish variety has a bit of a softer sound to it; there's more aspiration, I believe, in Scottish Gaelic as opposed to Irish Gaelic. I believe that someone who speaks one could understand someone who speaks the other, much akin to, say, a Swiss German speaker and a high German speaker. It might take some effort on the part of one to understand the other, but it wouldn't be too difficult.

Someone who spoke only Scots would not be able to understand someone who spoke only Scottish Gaelic, and vice versa.
I would also mention Ullans, the language of the Ulster-Scots in Nothern Ireland. You can learn more about Ullans here:

http://www.ulsterscotsagency.com/WhatisUlster-Scots.asp

Cheers,

Todd